Societies worse off 'when they have God on their side'

RELIGIOUS belief can cause damage to a society, contributing towards high murder rates, abortion, sexual promiscuity and suicide, according to research published today.

According to the study, belief in and worship of God are not only unnecessary for a healthy society but may actually contribute to social problems.

The study counters the view of believers that religion is necessary to provide the moral and ethical foundations of a healthy society.

It compares the social peformance of relatively secular countries, such as Britain, with the US, where the majority believes in a creator rather than the theory of evolution. Many conservative evangelicals in the US consider Darwinism to be a social evil, believing that it inspires atheism and amorality.

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Possibly. But I don't think it can be ignored that all wealthy secular nations are very stable, which goes against the argument of many theists here that a godless society is a dangerous one. Most of Europe, Austrailia, Japan are good examples of that.

I could use the Middle East as an example of social unrest dues to religious values, however since it's not classed as wealthy it can't be counted. America, however is different in that it is wealthy and at the same time, deeply religious. But it is hardly a sparkling endorsement of the state of religion in a modern nation were the citizens are largely scientifically ignorant whilst the morals of the religion doesn't appear to do a good job in keeping social decline at bay.

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it does grant that godless societies are not necessarily dangerous, i suppose. but simply because there is a correlation does not mean there is a cause. perhaps there is another factor? perhaps criminals are more religious than the non-religious? there are many factors to take into account before we can even begin to suggest that religion causes crime. what the correlation does demonstrate, is that a lack of religion certainly -doesn't- cause crime.